Health promotion specialist

Health promotion specialists educate and inform people about health issues.

In this guide

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a health promotion specialist you could:

  • promote healthy eating and regular exercise
  • give advice on the dangers of smoking or drinking too much
  • give information about the risk of coronary heart disease and cancers
  • raise awareness of mental health, sexual health and drug misuse
  • do research, make publicity materials, run training courses and organise events
  • give information and advice to managers in health authorities and local councils

Working environment

You could work at a health centre or in an office.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could:

  • move into a senior role and be responsible for planning projects and strategies
  • get a postgraduate qualification and manage projects and a team or health promotion specialists
  • work as a freelance consultant

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • to enjoy working with other people
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • administration skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

You might need a driving licence for some jobs.

Most relevant

  • Biology - Health promotion specialists need a solid understanding of how the human body works to educate people about topics like heart disease, cancer, nutrition, and sexual health. Knowing the science behind these conditions helps them explain risks clearly and give accurate, evidence-based advice.
  • Psychology - Health promotion specialists need to understand why people make the choices they do around smoking, drinking, diet, and exercise. Knowledge of behaviour change theories and motivation helps them design campaigns and interventions that actually encourage people to adopt healthier habits.
  • Sociology - Health promotion specialists work with diverse communities and need to understand how factors like poverty, culture, and social inequality affect people's health. Sociology helps them recognise these patterns and design programmes that reach the people who need them most.
  • English Language - Health promotion specialists create publicity materials, write reports, and deliver presentations to a wide range of audiences – from the general public to council managers. Being able to communicate complex health information in clear, accessible language is central to the role.

Also relevant

  • Food Preparation and Nutrition - Health promotion specialists frequently advise people on healthy eating and the links between diet and conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Understanding nutrition science and how food choices affect the body makes this advice more practical and credible.
  • Mathematics - Health promotion specialists use statistics when researching health trends, evaluating the success of campaigns, and interpreting public health data. Being comfortable with numbers helps them present evidence convincingly to decision-makers in health authorities and councils.
  • Physical Education - Health promotion specialists promote regular exercise as a key part of a healthy lifestyle. Understanding the physical and mental health benefits of different types of activity helps them give practical, informed advice to individuals and communities.
  • Media Studies - Health promotion specialists design awareness campaigns across formats like print, video, and social media. Media Studies helps them understand how messages are constructed, how audiences engage with different platforms, and how representation shapes public attitudes – all key to crafting campaigns that change behaviour.
  • Politics - Health promotion specialists often work with local councils and health authorities, advising on public health policy and strategy. Understanding how government and public services are structured helps them navigate these organisations and influence health-related decisions.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

You could do a degree in a subject like:

  • health promotion
  • public health policy
  • behavioural science
  • health studies

You might be able to do a subject like psychology, social sciences or education.

You could also start by doing a foundation degree in health and social care.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

You could do the Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care to get some of the skills and knowledge you'll need in this job. 

If you're 19 or over, you could do an Access to HE Diploma as a way to get into university.

You could do Access to Health and Human Science or Access to Health Science.

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science

More Information

You could do a Public Health Practitioner Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.

This usually takes 3 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

You could start as a health promotion assistant or an NHS 111 health advisor and complete training to work your way up.

You'll find it helpful to get some paid or voluntary work experience in healthcare before you apply for a course.

You could apply directly to health promotion specialist roles.

You'll usually need a qualification and experience in medicine, nursing, teaching or social work.

It might also help to have experience of working with communities.

Career tips

You could work for different types of organisations like the NHS, local authorities or charities.

You can also find details of current health campaigns and initiatives through the Royal Society for Public Health.

Further information

You can find out more on careers in health promotion as a public health practitioner through Health Careers.

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